After A Long Day
by Adina-Anne
Summary: Carolyn Barek has had a long day and one person thinks he knows just what she needs...
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by polkadotsnplaid's post to the livejournal community tehloganbarek on April 3rd, 2006. Check it out (if you can find it that is). Basically she made some icons of Logan and Barek conveying emotions or with a small catch phrase and someone commented about how two of them should be put together in a story so I put them _all_ in a story. It was fun.

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"You say tomatoes and I say…" Carolyn Barek turned away from the window into the interview room and rubbed her face with one hand.

"Long day?" Deakins watched her reaction noting the exhaustion in her stance.

"Long day with him." She pointed through the glass at her partner who was becoming very animated with the suspect's seven-year-old daughter.

"I barely spend two hours a week with the man. Tell me about it."

"I brought him a bag of tomatoes from my garden today, forgetting that he claims to never eat vegetables. And instead of trying them, he's playing with them." She returned to the window and watched little Lucy and Mike roll tomatoes across the table to each other.

Deakins sighed. "Who knew he was good with children?" Carolyn shook her head.

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Two hours later Mike looked up from a report to see Carolyn across from him, her brows knit, a hand supporting her head and her eyes glazed over, obviously not reading the papers on her own desk.

"Caro?" She jumped violently as he said her name.

"What?" She looked back at him, taking deep breaths trying to calm herself down as she met his eyes.

"Sheesh, Caro. What's got you all worked up?"

"Nothing. Just a long day, that's all." She looked back down at her desk and, unable to focus on the words before her, rubbed her face with both hands.

Mike stood up and walked around to lean on her desk by her side. "When was the last time you relaxed?" He leaned in and caught her gaze with his. "And I mean _really_ relaxed?"

She saw the glint in his eye. She had seen it before and she knew what it meant. "No." She raised a finger, pointing it at him to emphasize her point.

Mike leaned back, out of her space, before responding. "Carolyn, how long has it been?"

"Too long. That answer enough?"

"No, how long?"

"_Too long_. Drop it."

"How long is too long?" He smirked leaning in again slightly.

She glared at him for a long moment before responding. "Two and a half years."

His face dropped instantly. "You're kidding me." She shook her head and sat back in her chair, closing her eyes. "Two and a half years, Carolyn? How did you manage that!"

"By not being you."

"That is cold, Caro. Just cold."

"Sorry. I didn't mean…" She sighed and leaned back on the desk.

"So what? You're just going to sit there? The Don Juan of Manhattan just invited you for some relaxation and you're turning him down after two and a half years of nothing?" She looked up at him indignantly to find him pouting. "Come on Caro. I promise it will be worth your time."

"Logan, don't whine. It's unbecoming of you." She stood up quickly, grabbing her coat and walked past him muttering, "Dear God what am I getting myself into?" Mike smirked as he began to follow her.

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She arrived at the car before he did and restlessly stood beside the passenger door as Mike approached. "You're place or mine?"

"Logan, don't smirk. I'm not promising you _anything_."

"You're place it is than. I've always wanted to know what you really do there." His grin hadn't faded in the slightest as he unlocked the car.

"You want to go to my place so we can what? Read Russian literature to each other? Oh yeah, you're going to have a great time." She finished her statement as she got in the car, but as she leaned over the seat Mike took hold of her shoulder and kissed her mouth quickly. "Mike…"

"Carolyn…Do you realize that is the first time you have ever called me Mike?" She glared at him. "You need something, _anything_, to relax. It doesn't have to be between us, and it doesn't have to be that. But Caro, today, for your own sake, please!"

She stared at him for a long time, her face a mask of disbelief. "Not my place." She looked forward then, unable to meet his eye.

"You sure Caro?"

"Are you going to wait for me to change my mind?"

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They entered the apartment and he took her coat, hanging it next to his. She walked into the apartment, slowly looking around at the books on the shelves, the pictures on the wall and the various other things scattered across the room. She felt a light hand on her shoulder and followed it around only to be met with a deep kiss. She pulled back, took a moment to regain her breath and, almost growling, told him how it was going to be. "Do _not_ make me regret this."

"Shh, Carolyn, shh." He responded, his lips already on hers again.


	2. Chapter 2

She pulled out of it again. "Mike, I can't do this. It's wrong."

"But it feels right…Come on Caro." He stood up to his full height, looking down on her.

"No, it's awkward. And wrong. We're partners not two people who found each other at a bar. I'm sure you'd have no problem finding someone else, but I can't do this." She walked away from him and went to get her jacket.

"This is why it's been so long." She stopped and turned to look at him.

"Don't you be telling me about my love life." Her accent was on and he smiled at her joke.

"I'm serious. You keep running from it and it's never going to happen." He walked over to her. She hadn't moved and was obviously in thought. "Anyone ever tell you to stop thinking?"

"Anyone ever tell you to stop starting?" She met his gaze.

"Point taken." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'll shut my eyes if you turn off your brain."

"That seems a little unfair. Not to mention slightly insulting."

"Like you've never been a cold hearted bitch."

"Mm, point taken."

"I'm in my right mind again…And the offer still stands."

"And your couch still isn't large enough."

"I was thinking if sleep was involved it wouldn't be on the couch."

She raised an eyebrow before speaking. "You always do it in bed? Don't you get bored?"

"I have a way of keeping it interesting." The smirk was back. "Every night a different adventure."

"And a different woman. No." She walked out of his arms again and put a hand on the doorknob.

"Give me a reason."

"We're partners."

"That didn't stop Goren and Eames and you know we're just as good at hiding things as they are. One time, I'll never bring it up again."

She turned again once more, her arms crossed over her open jacket. "Give me a reason." He approached her cautiously, knowing that she could do any number of things which, in the end, would mean he had failed. "What are you doing?"

He was already in close, one hand on the back of her neck the other around her waist. "Giving you a reason." She moaned softly until he pulled away, his face still next to hers.

She responded quietly so that if they were shoulder to shoulder with several other people only he would hear. "Fuck you."

"Please, do." He smiled. She was worth it.


End file.
